Goals and Objectives

Our Mission and Goals are:

Our didactic mission will extend far beyond the context of a required residency program in the way to obtain a medical license. We are faithful in preparing our residents as self-directed competent physicians and life long learners, with supreme academic, ethical, clinical and professional values of medicine, capable of managing primary care problems using the bio-psychosocial model.

To assure an educational environment that must fulfill the physical, emotional and educational needs of all our residents and be devoted to excellence in medical education, patient care and scholarly activity.

To prepare residents to fulfill requirements for certification by the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists.

To train Psychiatry Residents to understand and integrate osteopathic principles and philosophy into all clinical and patient care activities.

To graduate proficient psychiatrists capable of providing a comprehensive, compassionate and continuous health care to their patients in the context of the family and the community.

OBJECTIVES

To provide a comprehensive educational experience which assures that graduating residents in psychiatry will possess the clinical skills and knowledge to prepare them for the independent practice of psychiatry while exposing them to the broad range of career opportunities including clinical practice, teaching, research, and administrative psychiatry.

To provide this educational experience such that residents successfully pass the written and oral examinations for certification in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

To advance the development of psychiatrists who practice critical thinking including an evidence-based approach in all aspects of their medical practice.

To provide a learning environment that will guide to an understanding and appreciation of the methods and findings of scientific research and which will promote progress towards a research career, if that is the trainee’s goal.

COMPETENCY-BASED PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To provide the didactics and experiences essential to guarantee that residents attain competence in the AOA core competencies:

PATIENT CARE Residents must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health

MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE Residents must demonstrate knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g. epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care.

PRACTICE-BASED LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENT Residents must be able to investigate and evaluate their patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and improve their patient care practice.

INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS Residents must be able to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange and teaming with patients, their patients families, and professional associates.

PROFESSIONALISM Residents must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to a diverse patient population.

SYSTEMS-BASED PRACTICE Residents must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.

Goals and Objectives at Each Educational Level

PGY-1 Goals

To have initiatory / introductory working knowledge of general psychiatry, internal medicine and neurology

To provide an initiation to the essentials of psychiatric practice through series of didactics, seminars and clinical teachings and supervisions

PGY-1 Objectives

At the end of the year, the resident will be able to:

Obtain a detailed psychiatric and medical history, perform a thorough mental state examination

Initiate appropriate laboratory and psychological investigations or consultation with other professionals

Develop DSM-IV diagnostic, case presentation and formulation skills appropriate for first year residents

Develop a differential diagnostic framework appropriate for first year residents

Acquire knowledge and skills of civil commitment of psychiatry patients

Understand the theory and clinical standards of assessing and managing inpatient psychiatric patients

Acquire knowledge and skills assessing (physical, laboratory and radiological assessment) essential for medical causes of psychiatric syndromes

Be familiar with the neurologic examination and how to use it for localization in the nervous system

Acquire knowledge and skills to review and manage acute neurological disorders

Acquire initiatory (introductory) knowledge of psychiatric treatment modalities – psychological, pharmacological, physical and rehabilitative

PGY-2 Goals

To build on the initiatory / introductory knowledge and skills acquired during the first year of residency training

To introduce more advanced knowledge in psychiatric methods of care, developmental stages of life and introduction to research in psychiatry

These goals are achieved by close supervision of residents on a variety of outpatient units and also by introducing residents to integrated continuum of care through dyadic – one-on-one supervisions, and didactic program of lectures in psychiatric assessment, treatment and research.

PGY-2 Objectives

At the end of the 2nd year, the resident will:

Develop a thorough competence in the assessment and bio-psycho-social formulation of psychiatric disorders

Develop a comprehensive understanding of the psychological, pharmacological, and physical treatments involved in the care of the seriously mentally ill

Acquire initiatory / introductory knowledge and skills in time-limited symptom-focused and long-term insight oriented psychological treatments by delivering psychotherapy, under close supervision, to selected patients followed in outpatient settings

Be exposed to managing patients with severe and chronic / persistent mental illness in the community, these concepts include multi- disciplinary treatment teams, working with families, psychosocial rehabilitation and dual diagnosis

Understand the key developmental stages throughout the life cycle, approach clinical assessment on a developmental continuum

Be introduced to cultural psychiatry and its significance in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment

Recognize and give appropriate emphasis to the individual and family strengths and community services which can be mobilized in the management of psychopathology

Understand research hypothesis testing, including the concepts of independent and dependent variables

Understand basic research designs and strategies, such as true experimental design, quasi-experimental design

PGY 3 Goals

To enhance competencies acquired in the first two years and develop mastery of assessment, and management of resistant-refractory disorders, special population, and more complex psychiatric cases / scenarios

Emergency psychiatric consultation

PGY-3 Objectives

At the end of the 3rd year, the resident will be:

Proficient in gathering clinical data relevant to a psychiatric evaluation, arriving at correct diagnosis of psychiatric patients, and generate differential diagnosis for patients with psychiatric disorders

Able to select, synthesize and appropriately balance the biological, developmental, familial, social and psychological factors contributing to psychopathology

Be proficient in planning and implementing bio-psychosocial plans for patients with psychiatric disorder

Effectively utilize the resources and skills of related mental health professionals Have gained experience and skills to the point of being regarded as a team leader by clinical colleagues

Demonstrate competence in evaluation of the medical literature

PGY 4 Goals

To complete psychiatry residency training and prepare for post residency career

To develop advanced experience in a psychiatric subspecialty through electives

To become familiar with psychiatric administration through a weekly meeting with the Medical Director of one of the affiliated sites

PGY-4 Objectives

At the end of the 4th year, the resident will:

Have completed the core rotations as required by Psychiatry Residency Review Committee.

Have a good understanding of the psychological, social, economic, ethnic, family and biological factors that influence development as well as psychiatric illnesses and treatments

Have achieved diagnostic and clinical skills at the level of a qualified general psychiatrist

Have achieved consultative skills, and the ability to lead case discussions and present scholarly material at the level of a qualified general psychiatrist

Communicate findings and recommendations to other professionals, referring physicians, community mental health agencies and, where appropriate, to the family and other services

Have played a substantial role in the teaching of junior residents

Have initiatory / introductory knowledge and understanding of the various subspecialties in psychiatry through elective rotations and close mentoring by faculty members

Have an understanding of the changing health-care environment and of the competencies necessary for success in clinical practice and in other professional leadership roles

Have an appreciation of the rational approaches to administrative decisions within a system of psychiatric service.